4/4/2008
Words for Nerds – Algid
Algid may have a soft “g”, but it does have a hard definition. What does algid mean?
A. Cold, chilly
B. Extremely high, elevated
C. Infected or overgrown with fungus
D. Smooth, graceful
E. Suffering from multiple allergies
As tempting as all these definitions are, only one is correct. The true meaning of algid is … cold, chilly. The word is used most often to describe weather or a person with cold, clammy hands. It comes from the Latin word algare, which means “to be cold”.
Let’s Digress
I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering if Algeria had any connection to the word algid. Seems improbable, considering Algerian weather is anything but cold and clammy. And indeed, the two words are unrelated. Wikipedia alerts us to the fact that the etymology of Algeria is as follows –
Al-jazā’ir is itself a truncated form of the city’s older name jazā’ir banī mazghannā, “the islands of (the tribe) Bani Mazghanna”, used by early medieval geographers such as al-Idrisi and Yaqut al-Hamawi.
Just as I suspected!
Let’s Digress Further
In case you were wondering, the word “algae” is likewise unconnected to algid, coming instead from the Latin word alga, meaning “seaweed”.
Algid is one of those words that needs to stage a comeback. What a perfect way to describe cold and clammy weather, those uncomfortable algid handshakes, or that old familiar algid Algerian algae.
6 Responses to Words for Nerds – Algid
Not to mention the algid shoulder, the algid reception, or even the algid Decembers around Houston!
Bob, let me know how it goes when you work those phrases into your conversation …
That’s a pretty interesting word, didn’t hear it before though. Algid handshake (certainly not good).
But please Brad don’t be so unsympathetic to the old familiar algae…if a certain project at Texas fructifies commercially, these algae could be the answer to the depleting fossil fuels and global warming.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/01/algae.oil/index.html?eref=edition_technology
Whoa, Jeevanhoti! I’ve never seen so much algae!
I did a bit of Googling on algid…the results seem to point that this word is full of tenebrous connotations:
algid cholera, algid malaria (a type affecting the brain and results in the body temperature dropping below normal)…
Somehow, I feel the only thing interesting is how it is NOT related to Algeria and algae!
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